As the digital world continues to give the IRL world a run for its money, UX experience and online marketing have become more crucial than ever before. That’s why you need to put at least as much thought into choosing your digital marketing team as you put into choosing which toppings to put on your Pinkberry. By heeding a set of four golden hiring tips and asking the right marketing job interview questions, you’ll seriously improve your chances of building a digital marketing team that will make you shed tears of joy rather than frustration.

Four Digital Marketing Hiring Tips

Before you think about interviewing for digital marketing positions, consider the following four hiring tips. They’re pretty much guaranteed to save you time, money and the awkwardness of having to let someone go.

1.Look at their social media profiles. Social media is a great way for an amateur or aspiring digital marketer to show off their chops. Whether on the job or not, a solid marketer in this field will take pride in how their social channels look. Check out their presence on all major platforms. If their posts make you wince with their sheer TMI-ness, consider it a red flag. The same holds true if their profiles are so generic that they put you to sleep. But if they use their social media presence in a positive way and engage well with others, then they’re likely to do the same for you.

One of the platforms to which you should pay special attention is LinkedIn (yes, we know it’s less exciting than Instagram). Look at the candidate’s connections and get a feel for the network they have built for themselves over the years. If they have reputable or respected marketers in their network, it can be an indicator of their worth. Alternatively, a network that reads like an episode of America’s Most Wanted can be an indicator of their distinct lack of worth. If you have any mutual connections, take the time to reach out to that person and ask about their experiences with the candidate.

2.Ask tough questions. Think about it: No candidate is going to provide you with references who would say that they sucked and couldn’t do their job. That’s why it’s a good idea to put diplomacy aside and take a hardline approach to the questions you ask the references you’re provided – the more specific the better. Questions like:

• Is she/he often late on projects?• Do tight deadlines affect her/his attitude?• Has she/he been slow to respond?• Is she/he an effective communicator?

The job of a reference is to say nice things about the candidate in question. Your job is to discover whether this potential hire will be an asset or a hindrance, so don’t be afraid to take the gloves off.

3.Look for optimization. Take note of a candidate’s SEO practices. If she or he is looking for a job in this field and isn’t leveraging best SEO practices, they may not have the ambition necessary to take your company to the next level.

4.Look for similar values. Your digital marketing campaign is likely the primary channel through which your company’s principles and goals will be communicated to visitors. That’s why you want a marketer with similar values to those of your company. Before bringing someone in for an interview, ask them to email you a proposal of what they plan to do with your business and how. If they communicate clearly and you like their style, chances are they could be a good fit. If they present you with a five-year plan worthy of certain twentieth-century dictators, thank them for sharing and alert the authorities.

14 Marketing Job Interview Questions

We’re not afraid to say it: Interviews can be fun! And awkward! But still fun! They provide you with a great opportunity to get a clear idea of the candidate not only as a marketer, but as a person. Take advantage of the little time you have together to learn as much as you can about their abilities, their personality, and how they work with others. To that end, try asking these 14 digital marketing interview questions during your next interview. You may be surprised by how much they reveal about the candidate – and what you’re looking for in a digital marketer.

• What was your most successful campaign? Why did it work? • At what point do you consider a campaign a failure? • How do customers inform your method of brand building? • What is the best method for getting customer feedback? • What tools help you with organization and time management? • How do SEO and content marketing complement each other? • What are some of the most common SEO myths and mistakes? • Do you have experience with marketing automation? • How do you create an effective campaign on a tight budget?• How do you create a positive team dynamic?• How do you structure a marketing budget? • What does constructive feedback to a colleague sound like?• How difficult is it for you to handle negative feedback about your strategies? • What have you noticed about our current marketing? What’s working? What could we do better?

While digital marketing interview questions and answers can certainly be an effective means of assessing a potential hire, the questions outlined above are by no means comprehensive. Interview questions for a marketing position should be specific to the industry, but open enough to get a feel for the applicant’s experience. Mostly, you’ll want to get a sense of who they are and how they take on projects. By actively listening to their responses, you’ll be able to note important personality traits and tendencies that emerge during the interview.

The final question is one you’ll have to ask yourself: Can I see myself working closely with this person five days a week for the next several months or even years? Go with your gut on this one. If the answer is “oh heck no,” then it’s #ByeFelicia. But if the answer is on the spectrum of “maybe” to “yes,” then you may want to move forward. The more information you have about a candidate as a person and a marketer, the better your chances of hiring the ideal digital marketing professional for your business.

Vitamin T represents thousands of creative, development, and marketing talent to help with your next project. Contact us to find out more.